Do I have to attend classes?

Classes are provided to student pilots--referred to as "groundschool"--to prepare them for the goverment qualifying examinations. Langley Flying School course manuals are also designed for self-study, and while this is an option for all students, it is rarely pursued, except by those students with extremely busy schedules.

The classes for full time studies are provided during the day and meet three to five times per week and last between two and three hours; classes for part-time studies are provided in the evenings and meet on Tuesdays and Thursday nights for two hours. Full time courses last between 6 and 8 weeks, while part-time courses last approximately 3 months. Part-time courses begin the first week in September, the first week in February, and the first week of June.

There are usually between 12 and 20 students in each class, and the school's Flight Instructors teach on a rotational basis such subjects as Personnel Licencing, Engines and Airframes, Flight Operations, Air Law, Navigation, Weather and Weather Information, Human Factors and Pilot Decision-making, Radio Navigation, and Flight Instruments.

The full time schedule of course begin in January and July--the schedule for full time courses is described in the Professional Pilot Program link.

A detail description of the subjects and organization of each course appears in the Course Outlines. Additionally, current Groundschool schedules appear as a link on this website (Groundschool Schedule)